Wish
by Kiyami
Summary: It was forbidden for men and mermen to be together. For them to be together it would take a sacrifice of something so precious to them, but is love really worth giving up something so dear? [AU Multiple Pairings Mermen] Ch. 2 AtoJi up!
1. Eyes

**Wish**

**Kiyami: This has been collecting dust for a while. Inspired by a glass of water and the Little Mermaid. Enjoy!**

**Pairings: Lots of pairings in this fanfic. This chapter is Tezuka x Fuji though.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Prince of Tennis.

* * *

**

There had always been a legend circulating around the local towns. A legend of a beautiful maiden with a lower body of a fish who would tempt sailors to crash their ships into the dangerous rocks that surrounded a deserted island.

No one ever went near that island. It was to be cursed and the maidens of the sea would only bring sorrow and other horrible consequences.

It had always been forbidden for man and mer to be together.

* * *

He could feel the sun warming his skin and the cool water soaking his body. He could hear the calming sound of waves crawling up the beach and retreating. He could smell the cool breezes flowing past him. He could taste the saltiness of the ocean water.

Slowly, painstakingly slowly, he opened his eyes. Everything was blurry, probably due to the lack of glasses. He could see the vibrant blue sky and the seagulls flying up above. He could see a pair of chilling eyes the color of the sky.

A smile was on the face. The face was fair with pink faintly coloring the cheeks from the heat. Eyes closed to hide the lovely blue eyes. He mimicked that and closed his eyes as well. He could feel the weight of the wet clothing and pain in all of his limbs.

All he wanted to do was rest his eyes and sleep some more. That wasn't an option though. He had to get up and figure out what he was doing. Normally he would never be down by the ocean, soaking in the waters and tanning in the light of the sun. He had no time to do such activities. He had to work.

"What's your name?" The woman, or was it a he, asked.

"Hn." He wasn't so keen on just giving his name out without knowing the person first.

He opened his tired eyes. He tried to get up, but the person above him pushed him back down. Anyway he felt too sleepy to do anything at the moment.

"Don't move…You're hurt." The person said.

He realized the sting of pain in his left arm. Salt water washed over the bloody wound. He flinched slightly.

"Wh-" He couldn't talk. His throat was too dry to get out the words he wanted.

"Shhh…Don't talk." The person, whose gender he had yet to figure out, placed a finger on his dry cracked lips.

He could feel himself shudder at the stranger's touch. A cool sensation on his heated skin. Soft fingers traced patterns on his exposed skin. They were teasing and light, almost tickling.

He took the time to look at the person. Through blurred vision he thought he could make out blue on the legs. Was it a skirt?

"Tezuka! Tezuka!" Distant shouts called for him. He lifted his head at the sound of his name.

"Tezuka? That's a nice name…" The person cooed into his ear.

He could feel the stranger touching his hand and then tying something around his wrist. They felt like shells from the texture. Another item was slipped into his hands. Metal, glass…it could only be his glasses.

"Well my name is…Fuji." The stranger whispered into his ear. Something wet and scaley, like a fish, brushed against his exposed feet.

That was the last thing he remembered before blacking out.

* * *

"Don't worry, it's only dehydration."

"Everyone, we returned with the water nya!"

"Bring it here."

"Will he be alright?"

"Of course!"

"He's lucky! Lucky that we found him."

"We have Kikumaru to thank for that."

* * *

Tezuka opened his eyes. He felt relaxed in the cool shade of the tropical trees. Birds sang merrily in the cover of the trees and the distant sound of waves came to his ears.

"Look, he's awake." Someone pointed out, was it Momoshiro?

"Hoi, hoi, about time!" Kikumaru practically shouted into his ear.

He sat up, a little too fast, and regretted it. He felt pain, but didn't let anyone see it. Momoshiro helped support him as he looked around at his crew. There weren't many here probably because of that night.

"Here drink this." Inui offered a large shell full of clear liquid.

* * *

The day had started out nicely. The wind was in their favor and with this speed they would be at their destination in no time.

The day had turned horrible when they neared an unmapped island. A ring of white sand surrounded a jungle. Rocks the color of the sand created a protective wall around that island. Tezuka had specifically ordered to avoid the island. Many couldn't see it, but barely beneath the waters were jagged rocks ready to break through wood.

The weather suddenly shifted. Dark clouds formed above their ship. The waves turned from gentle and soothing to fierce and harsh. Waves crashed into their wooden ship. The ocean mercilessly beat upon the poor ship.

Tezuka had tried his best to steer the ship away from the island. He knew the consequences of doing so. He was captain and he had to make sure everyone got out alive.

The sound of wood cracking was heard over the roar of the ocean. They had hit an unseen rock.

The next thing he knew it he was in the water. Tezuka struggled to stay above the water. Waves crashed onto him and many times he was forced beneath. His lungs burned from the lack of oxygen when his clothing weighed him down. Slowly he sank…

_Deeper…_

_…and deeper…_

_…and deeper._

* * *

It had now been three days since their ship crashed. Thirteen people had drowned in the water and were properly put to rest. One person was missing and assumed dead. He was Akutagawa Jiroh. Everyone seemed saddened by the missing presence of the cheerful and sleepy look out.

Shelters had been built out of the scraps of wood from their old ship. Several boxes had washed up onto shore that was supposed to be brought to the next bay for selling.

Paper, tea, charcoal, fabric, clothing, china, and wine were some of the contents. Paper had been used to burn for fires after being properly dried. The tea was unusable since the water had gotten in and soaked its contents. The rest were used to build practical items for their survival.

Tezuka cleaned his glasses on his shirt. The freshwater pool they had discovered had washed the salt from it. His glasses were scratched up from the sand, but they were still usable. It was a wonder how both Inui and Tezuka still had their glasses. Although Inui was known to keep several pairs with him at all times.

* * *

"Mirages, the sun can play tricks on you." Inui explained when Tezuka mentioned the person he had met on the beach.

"Have you checked the entire island for civilization?" Tezuka asked.

"Not entirely, but there are no signs whatsoever. We'll just have to hope a ship will come by to save us. Although there is a 79.8 percent chance they will be unwilling to get near the island. 95 percent of sailors are superstitious." Inui sipped the coconut milk. Kikumaru had discovered several trees of them earlier that day.

Tezuka sighed, would they always be stuck on this island?

* * *

"Neesan, I need help." Fuji told his sister as they searched for usable shells underneath the water's surface.

"With what, Syuusuke?" Yumiko triumphantly found a pale pink shell.

"Well, you're the Seer's apprentice, aren't you?" The Seer was the one who held knowledge of everything. The Seer knew which places were the most dangerous, the best places for shell hunting, and other useful knowledge. He or she was the one who often led the colonies of the mer.

"I am. Why?" Yumiko paused in her search for shells to look at Fuji. His expression seemed troubled as he stared thoughtfully at a rock.

"I met one of the stranded humans the other day. Well…I…" Fuji blushed as a smile crept onto his face.

"Syuusuke, you should know. We're not allowed. Forget about him. Anyway I thought you liked Saeki-kun." Yumiko's voice became low and warning.

"I do like him…No, I love Kojirou, but it's not the same. Kojirou is a friend and that's all he'll ever be. When I'm with him I feel secure and happy. I can let myself open up to him, but he'll only be a friend. With him, Tezuka, I feel this wild sensation I never felt before. It's so strange, but I like it. You have to feel it to understand. The feeling…it goes beyond joy and happiness." Fuji tried to explain.

Yumiko sighed and shook her head. "Syuusuke, are you sure this is not lust? The man is something new that you have never seen before. In a few weeks you'll be over this little obsession of yours and your feelings for Tezuka won't be there anymore." She tried to convince her younger brother not to love Tezuka.

"Neesan, the oceans could dry up and I wouldn't even care as long as I was with him." Fuji replied seriously. Saying something like that was no joking matter.

Yumiko felt her will cave in. She of all people should know that once Fuji started to care for something, nothing would stop him. Every little thing he cared for was precious to him whether it was that first insignificant shell he found or his own kin. This included Tezuka.

"Fine, I'll help you, but with what?" She knew the trouble she would be in for telling Fuji, but the way he explained it, it could only be pure.

* * *

Fuji hugged his sister and his brother before moving away from them. Yumiko held onto Yuuta so he would swim after Fuji.

"Aniki, are you sure about this?" Yuuta shouted, his eyes were wet with tears, but they blended in with the ocean water. He tried to pull away from his sister's powerful grip.

"Don't worry, Yuuta. I'll visit." Fuji smiled and waved. He turned their back to them.

"Be careful, Syuusuke." Yumiko whispered.

Fuji stared at his hands and the sharp rock. Yumiko had explained everything to him. He was supposed to give a blood offering to the ocean itself and make a wish. The ocean was the conceiver of life to the mers. The ocean was what gave them life and took it. They all believed that in some mysterious way, the ocean would grant their wishes.

Fuji held the rock firmly in his right hand and brought it down onto his left. He pressed down hard enough for the keen edge to pierce his skin. Slowly he made a line from one end of his hand to the other. His right hand let go of the rock. His fingers traced the shallow cut on his left hand. It stung.

A cloud of red drifted from his hand towards the surface of the waters. Fuji closed his eyes and wished.

"Great Ocean, let me be one of them. Let me walk on the land with them. Let me be a…human." Fuji said quietly.

"_Let me be with him."

* * *

_

Tezuka woke up slowly that morning. It was something about this place that kept luring him into sleep. Maybe it was the cool breezes, the warmth, or the calming sounds of the ocean.

"Tezuka! Tezuka!" Someone shouted.

Tezuka forced himself to sit up and put on his glasses. It sounded like something important had happened. He stepped out of the makeshift hut to find the survivors gathered around something by the water.

"What happened?" Tezuka demanded while moving towards them.

"Somebody washed ashore nya!" Kikumaru jumped and pointed at the unmoving body.

Tezuka froze when he saw the slim figure. The person…looked just like the mysterious stranger he had met. He pushed aside the crowding people and checked to see whether he was still alive or not. The person was faintly breathing.

"Get him into the hut and give…him some water." Tezuka ordered. There was no more confusion whether the person was male or female. He was bare naked.

* * *

Fuji opened his eyes and expected to see the sun or the water. Something…he wanted to see something, but there was nothing.

There was only black; darkness.

He panicked since he couldn't see anything at all. Where was the sand? The sky? The ocean?

Then Yumiko's words drifted back into memory.

_To receive a wish from the ocean you must offer her your own blood and something dear to you._

Fuji's heart sank as he remembered. He had sacrificed his own vision, something he cherished, just to walk on land.

Fuji loved sight. He loved looking at vibrant fishes, the pretty way the sun hit the waters, the sunset. He loved looking at everything.

He would miss everything that vision had given him. He would only have those few moments in which he stared at Tezuka to remember the face that he had given up everything to be near.

He felt sad and troubled. Fuji sat up, wherever he was, and placed his head in his hands. Gradual tears turned into full sobs as he realized he would never be able to see again.

* * *

Tezuka waited outside the quiet hut. They had dressed the man in spare clothing and left food beside him for when he woke up. Until then Tezuka was guarding the hut so no one disturbed the stranger. It was Tezuka's sole presence that foiled the plots of Kikumaru and Momoshirou.

He chewed on a strip of coconut slowly to savor the taste. Food was going to be an issue on the small island. Shelter would be too if some sort of tropical storm came, which was assured. So many things to be done.

The sounds of crying alerted Tezuka. Silently he entered the hut. He saw the stranger curled up in a little ball shaking violently. Matted, honey gold hair covered his face so Tezuka couldn't see what emotions the stranger was portraying.

He placed a comforting hand on the stranger's shoulder. The shaking seemed to have calmed down, but the stranger still cried.

Finally after what seemed to be an eternity the stranger lifted his head. Tears streaked his face. Blindly he searched for the source of comfort.

"Is tha-that you? Te-tezuka?" The stranger asked softly.

"Yes." Tezuka wondered how he had obtained his name.

The answer comforted the stranger. He smiled bitterly and embraced Tezuka.

"I'm here…I did this for you." He mumbled.

"What's your name?" Tezuka felt uncomfortable in the presence of this stranger who acted so closely with Tezuka.

"Fuji." His eyes opened for Tezuka to see. Tezuka expected to see the same chilling blue from before, but was surprised. He saw the milky white, sightless eyes.

The eyes he had given up for him.

* * *

Tezuka held onto the small body of Fuji. Together they sat on a rock away from the noises of the survivors. Tezuka slowly ran his fingers through Fuji's hair. Fuji smiled.

"Tezuka, you do know I gave up my sight just for you, don't you?" His voice was soft bordering on a whisper.

"Yes." He felt guilty even though he couldn't have done anything to prevent this from happening.

"Would you do the same for me? Give up something precious to you?" Fuji was curious to know.

Tezuka was silent for a couple of seconds before answering. "Yes, I would."

Fuji snuggled closer to Tezuka. "I'm happy I did."

There was silence for a long while. Tezuka watched the sun begin to set quietly. Fuji merely enjoyed being so close to Tezuka.

"Is it sunset now?"

"It is." Tezuka replied.

"Will you describe it to me?" Fuji asked.

Tezuka watched the horizon. He searched his mind for any poetic words that could bring the sunset into full detail.

He wanted to have Fuji experience the joys of sight again even if Fuji couldn't see.

It was the least he could do.

Yumiko watched the pair from a distance. She smiled. She had made the right choice after all.

Even if the laws of nature had deemed a relationship between man and mer as taboo, their love seemed right.

Their love was meant to be.

* * *

**Kiyami: I hope you enjoyed this! I'm not quite sure how they talk underwater…Just think of the Little Mermaid? Up next? I'm trying to decide between Atobe x Jiroh, Golden Pair, or Sanada x Yukimura. I'm open to suggestions though.**


	2. Angel

**Wish**

**Angel**

**Kiyami: This is the AtobexJiroh chapter. I'm satisfied with how it turned out, but mada mada dane, Kiyami. Anyway up ahead there's Jiroh angst and one-sided Jiroh x Marui. Enjoy!**

**_Italics_ means Jiroh's dreams and thoughts.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Prince of Tennis.

* * *

**

"_Jiroh! Look who's here! It's Marui-kun." A feminine voice called to him._

_The normally sleepy boy raced down the stairs of the lighthouse to greet Marui._

"_Marui-kun!" He shouted and ran towards the small, distant figure._

_He ran and ran, but he never got closer. Jiroh leaped and stretched out his arm to somehow come in contact with the faraway Marui. _

_So close…

* * *

_

Slowly he opened his eyes. He shut them quickly when his eyes hurt from the sudden amount of sunlight. He raised a hand to shield his vulnerable eyes. The sharp pain from the sunlight woke his sleepy mind.

Jiroh tried to sit up but found himself forced back down. His body ached even worse than the time he had fallen down the stairs at the lighthouse and broken some bones. The stinging feel in his body forced tears from his eyes. Everything hurt so badly. His stomach grumbled with hunger, his mouth just as dry as the sand, and his limbs aching.

"Stay down. You'll only hurt yourself more like that." A smooth voice told him. Jiroh smiled as he listened to the person talk. His voice was pleasing to his ears unlike the screeching of the seagulls.

"…Angel…" Jiroh managed to say before losing consciousness.

A voice so sweetly sounding could only belong to an angel.

* * *

_Jeez, what was up with this kid?_ No one fell asleep while he was talking with them.

Atobe frowned as he pulled the boy into an upright position. He wrapped his right arm around the boy's shoulders and gently opened his mouth. Slowly he poured the coconut milk into the open mouth. Atobe had discovered the coconut floating in the water. It had been knocked into the ocean when one of the noisy members of the wrecked ship accidentally lit a nearby hut on fire.

He had seen them eating the coconut. Some made faces at the taste while others gleefully shouted at the taste. Atobe didn't try it himself. Mers and humans ate differently, which was why he was giving this to the boy.

After the ship had been destroyed Atobe had found the boy. The boy was floating far from where the other men gathered. Slowly he was drifting further from the land on the chunk of wood his body rested on. Atobe thought he was rather crazy when he went closer. The boy was bleeding, the blood attracting the ocean's natural predators. They were quick and within seeing distance by the time Atobe got to the boy. Atobe was quicker though and was able to bring the boy safely to the rocky caves.

He wasn't sure why he was helping the boy. Helping humans was generally looked down upon. Humans did go off and start crazy stories of how mers seduced men into the rocks. It wasn't the mers' fault at all. Sunbathing was a favorite past time.

That was why ships always crashed when they neared this island. A long time ago a Seer had made it so. They only wanted to discourage the humans from nearing their island. Atobe was a direct descendant of that Seer. It was ironic in a way. Ironic that he would be helping someone his great, great, grandfather had tried to prevent from coming.

The sleeping boy moved in his sleep. His feet kicked out into the air and his left hand slapped Atobe. Atobe's frown grew as he rubbed the stinging area on his face. No one hit him…ever.

Angrily he placed the boy back on the rock and maneuvered himself as far as possible from the boy. It was nearly noon, perfect for sunbathing.

* * *

_Marui-kun…Marui-kun…Marui-kun…**Marui-kun**!_

_His shouts gradually grew louder with each step. His right hand cupped his mouth and the other was waving in the air. The redheaded boy in front of him slowly became bigger. Features started to form on the previously blurred face. Details were brought into place like a thin cut along his cheek or his wind-chapped lips. _

_He slowed down as the distance between him and Marui became only a mere foot. Jiroh's heartbeat became faster. His hands became clammy and cold suddenly even on the sunny day. A pink blush started to creep onto his cheeks. _

"_You're here! I've missed you for so long!" Marui exclaimed with his face showing the very definition of happiness. He moved forward._

"_Of cou-" Jiroh started with a large grin on his face._

"_Jackal!" Marui shouted and brushed past Jiroh. With arms outstretched he embraced the dark-skinned man. "About time you came back! So, did you get me anything? Food?" _

"_Marui-kun…"

* * *

_

Atobe hit the boy on the side of his head. One hand clamped down on his open mouth. "Wake up!" He ordered.

The boy did as he was told. His hand shielded his eyes once again. His tongue licked his lips, which were still coated with coconut juice. "Wha?"

"You were screaming! You disturbed me!" Atobe emphasized this by hitting him one more time on the head. Atobe paused then sighed loudly. "What's your name by the way?" He was tired of identifying him as The Boy.

"Akutagawa Jiroh…At your service." He whispered. His eyes widened once his eyes traveled far enough to see the tail. "Woah! Is that a fish tail? Is it real?" He asked with his voice as loud as it could get, which wasn't that loud.

"This?" Atobe elegantly pointed at his tail. "Of course it is."

"How'd you get it? Wow…I want one!" Jiroh attempted to at least touch it. Atobe slapped Jiroh's hand away.

"Well you can't and do you have to be so loud? Your shouting is hurting my delicate ears. It's giving me a headache too." Atobe rubbed his forehead.

"Can I touch it? Please? Ple-" Before he could complete the word he fell into a coughing fit. Jiroh covered his mouth with his hand as he coughed.

"What's the matter?" He impatiently demanded.

Jiroh's face quickly turned red. He continued to cough. He gasped for breath every time the coughing seemed to subside, but then it would come back just as powerful as the one before.

Atobe then remembered the ugly gash on Jiroh's leg. Could this be the cause for his sudden coughing? He knew from swimming alongside ships that coughing was never a good thing. The wound…could the wound be the cause? He had washed it and wrapped it in some of the cloth he had torn from Jiroh's shirt. With his powerful arms, Atobe brought himself to a comfortable distance to Jiroh's legs. Carefully he unwrapped the cloth minding the way Jiroh's legs kicked with each fit.

He had to look away when he finally finished removing the makeshift bandages. It was that gruesome. Blood had dried around the cut. The cut was long spanning four inches on Jiroh's lower leg. Yellow pus oozed out of the gash in his leg. Overall it did not look healthy. There was nothing Atobe could do about it either. He knew nothing of human medicine.

"Che." Atobe dropped the dirty cloth and turned back to Jiroh. Humans were such fragile beings. It was a wonder how they ever thrived on this planet.

Jiroh's coughing fit had ended while Atobe was looking at the wound. His face was still red and he was breathing heavily. He sprawled out on the warm rock with his messy hair falling over his eyes. It was hard to tell whether he was sleeping or not.

"Get up." Atobe wanted him out of his way as soon as possible. Jiroh moaned.

"Hurtssss…" He mumbled, the pain reawakened by the movement the coughing had caused and the wound's exposure to the open air.

"You shouldn't have moved and screamed like that." Atobe muttered as he brought his body closer to Jiroh's. He was starting to feel pain too. The rough rock was beginning to have its effects on his tail. With each movement either his skin or his tail was rubbed raw. "Now shut up and sleep." His suggestion was irrelevant since Akutagawa had already fallen asleep.

* * *

Atobe returned to the spot where he kept Jiroh. During the night he placed him inside of a cave that had a sharp boundary between land and water. It elevated suddenly halfway in and would keep the human dry and protected from the wind. He wasn't quite sure if it would be fine during a storm, but the skies were cloud free for now.

At night Atobe had other matters to attend to. There were parties he often went to and formal dinners. He was expected to come to them and didn't want to miss them. Missing them would alert his family. They would get suspicious with the lengthy amount of time he was starting spend away from everyone else. Anyway Atobe would surely be punished for caring for a human.

Quickly he swam into the cave. He pulled himself out onto the cold stone. Roughly he shook Jiroh's leg. "Wake up." Atobe said.

When no response came he shook his leg harder.

There was still no response.

Atobe pulled on Jiroh's leg and dragged him closer. Jiroh was sleeping, but he seemed worse than before. Dark circles formed around his closed eyes and even in the dim light his skin was strangely pale. His body felt too cold for normality and his body shook, barely but noticeable.

Atobe lifted the small human and brought him closer to the edge. Atobe lowered himself down in the water then grabbed Jiroh. He slung the boy over one shoulder and made his way outside where it was warm and sunny.

"Ma…ru…i…kun…" Jiroh feebly whispered.

Atobe purposely allowed Jiroh's head to go under for a moment. He didn't know the reason why, but there was this feeling like the time someone did something better than he did. Jiroh coughed because at that moment he was inhaling.

"Sorry, are you awake yet?" Atobe asked while shaking the sleeping boy.

"Hurtsssss…" He sleepily mumbled.

Atobe shook his head. Carefully he lifted Jiroh onto the rock. After the boy was securely lying on the rock Atobe got himself on the familiar rock. He moved Jiroh until he was what seemed to be a comfortable position.

"Wake up." Atobe said while shaking Jiroh.

"No…" Jiroh weakly refused.

"I order you to get up!" Atobe shouted and shook Jiroh harder this time.

"No…Sleep."

"When I tell you to do something you do it! Now, wake up!" He grabbed Jiroh's shirt and shook back and forth.

"No more," Jiroh mumbled once the shaking stopped. "Hurts."

Atobe growled with frustration. No one had ever disobeyed him before. Everyone followed what he said and that was how it was supposed to be.

Slowly he let go of Jiroh's shirt. It was better that he didn't harm the boy too much. He'd have to find a way to get Jiroh back with the other humans without getting caught. Jiroh was suffering with the lack of freshwater and real food.

So this was what responsibility was.

* * *

_Jackal and Marui walked off together. Marui bounced around in front of Jackal while eagerly leading the way to a restaurant._

_Jiroh bit his lip feeling the jealousy beginning to rise. _

"_Marui-kun." He said softly._

_Why?_

_Why was he always invisible to Marui when Jackal was around?_

_Marui never noticed him no matter what he did. He was like an insignificant tree, flower, bird, or insect. Something that was always there, but never noticed. Jiroh was just another face in a crowd of people Marui knew. _

_He wasn't special…_

_At least not to Marui.

* * *

_

Atobe bit his lip as he tried to think of something to do for Jiroh. He was sick, possibly dying.

Atobe knew what sickness was when he saw it. His grandmother had been a Seer and spent most of her time treating the ill.

He shuddered while recalling the memory of this one experience. He remembered a young girl getting ill one day. She looked pale and wheezed constantly. She complained of being unable to breathe easily. He could remember her lack of appetite and excessive amount of sleep. Everyone was worried for her.

Atobe could vividly remember the expression on her face when she started to cough up blood. The horrified look as her own body betrayed her. That expression he hated it. He hated remembering it, but he never could get it out of his head.

Even after she died.

Her death had been slow with her strength slowly seeping out of her body. The girl suffered until the very end.

Atobe didn't want that for Jiroh. As much as the human was a nuisance, Atobe found himself caring for the boy. It gave Atobe a sense of accomplishment. He was actually doing something for someone besides himself. He was enjoying it too.

He allowed a smile on his face being unable to hide it. Gently he ran his fingers through the salt crusted hair.

He wouldn't let Jiroh die like that girl. Jiroh was going to live no matter what.

Suddenly Atobe felt Jiroh's hair slip away from his fingers. He looked down to see why as his dreamlike state vanished. Jiroh was falling. His body scraped against the rough rock as he went lower and lower towards the ocean.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" Atobe shouted while grabbing Jiroh's hand.

"So it really is you. I thought you were better than this, Atobe. Hanging out with a pathetic human, it's disgusting."

"What did you say?" Atobe asked through clenched teeth. He shook with rage.

"Look at him! Disgusting, that's what he is. I never knew Atobe Keigo was a type of person to be around such trash." Another voice snickered.

Atobe pushed himself off the rock and dived into the water. He knew those voices. They could have only belonged to his so-called friends. Unfortunately that action caused Jiroh to fall into the water. The two other mers laughed.

"I say we should cut him up and feed him to the sharks." One of them said.

"That's a good idea. We should save the head though. Throw it at those stupid humans. Wouldn't it be hilarious?" They laughed.

"Hey, hey look!" The mer pulled Jiroh under. Jiroh weakly struggled to get back above the surface. His mouth was wide open, searching for some source of water. They laughed.

Atobe continued to shake with anger. His hands tightened into a fist. "Don't…you…dare harm…him!" Atobe shrieked when his patience for them snapped. Angrily he punched the closest one, his name being Taki. Atobe grunted when he felt the aching pain forming in his bones. He wanted to stop, but he couldn't.

He lifted his indigo tail and slapped the other on the back. His tail stung with pain, but he tried his best to ignore it.

They were disgusting. They were atrocious to be able to think such thoughts. They deserved to be fed to the sharks in bite sized pieces.

They were disgusting.

"Fuck off, Atobe!" Taki yelled. He grabbed Jiroh and took off. The other mer followed.

"Get back here!" Atobe ordered and swam after them.

This was bad. They were taking him deeper into the water. At this rate Jiroh would drown and it would be his fault.

Jiroh _was_ going to live no matter what.

* * *

_I can't breathe, Marui-kun. Will you notice me now? Will you come help me now? Will you?_

_Will you ignore me? Will you forget I'm there? Will you?_

_You'd save Jackal instead of me. I thought you were my best friend, my childhood friend._

_You'd always pick him over me._

_It's not fair._

_I still can't breathe. There's only water. _

_Will you see me if I shave my head like him? Would you if I gave you all the sweets in the world? _

_It burns now, Marui-kun. It's like fire. It hurts, Marui-kun. Not just being unable to breathe, but what you do to me. Did you know that it hurt? What did I ever do? I never hurt you._

_Why won't you notice me, Marui-kun?

* * *

_

Atobe chased the two cruel friends. Luckily he was fast even if his speed was no match for Shishido and Kamio. At least he was faster than Taki and his friend.

He caught up with them in no time since Jiroh weighed them down. Easily he defeated the two of them. It only took several slaps with his tail to frighten them away. Quickly he grabbed Jiroh and made his way towards the surface.

* * *

_Hold on, Jiroh, just wait a little longer._

_Is that you, Marui-kun? Are those your arms? They're nice. _

_Did you finally acknowledge my existence? Have you noticed me?_

_Is Jackal drowning? Are you saving me instead? I feel bad, but I think I'd be happy if he was drowning._

_Did you know how happy I feel when you see me? _

_Please, Marui-kun, stay with me. I like it when you're here with me. _

_I feel like crying. You're saving me. It doesn't burn as much as it used to. It actually feels better. _

_I was going to give up, but now that I know you're saving me, I think I'll try harder. _

_I won't die as long as you're with me, Marui-kun. _

_I promise.

* * *

_

"Breathe, damn it, breathe!" Atobe shouted at the unmoving Jiroh. He shook Jiroh thinking it would help in some way. "Breathe!" He yelled one more time.

Jiroh wasn't moving. Not even a finger twitched.

"Damn it!" Atobe screamed in anguish. He had gone through so much, even risking his reputation, just to save one life. Couldn't even save just one measly life. One! "Damn it all!" Atobe yelled one more time while pounding Jiroh on the chest.

He blinked as he felt a warm wet blob hit his eyes. Was it raining now? That wasn't possible. The skies had barely been filled with clouds last time he checked.

Jiroh suddenly started to hoarsely cough. He gasped for breath and inhaled as much as he could. Jiroh spat out more salty water. He started to groan.

"Hurts." Jiroh mumbled, a word he was using frequently lately.

"You're alive." Atobe whispered in disbelief.

He was alive. Not dead, but alive!

Atobe, he had saved someone's life.

A sense of pride swelled inside of him.

"Thank you," Jiroh smiled charmingly. "…Marui-kun."

Atobe's pride shattered.

* * *

_I'm still living now, Marui-kun. Thank you._

_Did you color your hair or something? It's a new color now. You look different too, but you're still Marui-kun, right? Only you would do something like that for me._

_Thank you, Marui-kun.

* * *

_

Jiroh rested quietly on the rock he had been on for the past two days. His stomach hurt a lot now and he was really thirsty. There was no more coconut. Atobe watched Jiroh sleep while occasionally touching his stomach. He was starved and dehydrated. He was dying a long death. He was suffering. He needed the other humans, not him.

Without wasting another second Atobe dived into the water. He had to settle this now.

He moved quickly through the water until he reached the area where everyone stayed. Houses were made with the coral creations on the bottom. The mers bustled with life. A group of children played a game where they had to maneuver through holes and shapes formed by coral. The older mers merely talked or swam about leisurely.

"Keigo!" An all too familiar voice shouted.

"Yes?" He replied to the angry merman not too far away.

"Explain yourself!" His father demanded with Taki and his friend by his side. They looked smug.

"With what?" Keigo tried to play it innocently, but knew it would be only a matter of moments before everyone knew of his disgrace.

"The boy, the human boy, Keigo! I know you're not stupid!" His father swam closer until on a foot separated them.

"He was wounded! What do you expect me to do? Let him die? Aan?" Keigo replied.

His father slapped Keigo. A red mark appeared on his left cheek. It stung, but Keigo didn't feel it. His mind was on something else.

"You've brought shame to this family! Don't you know of those disgusting humans? They'll kill us!" He shouted.

"Disgusting? Hasn't the Seer taught us that every being deserves to live? You disgust me, Father! You pick your pride over someone's life." Keigo answered just as loud.

"Don't you dare raise your voice to me! Come on, we're going now!" His father grabbed his wrist and tugged.

"I'm not going! I'm going back with you. I'm not staying here especially with you around! I'm going back to him!" Keigo defiance remained strong.

"Stupid boy! Impossible! You'll die!" Keigo's father laughed harshly.

Keigo pulled away. Rashly he went down and grabbed the sharp stone a mermaid was using for her necklace. He returned to where his father was and pressed it against the palm of his hand.

"Crazy boy, don't you know what happened to Fuji who did that? He can't see a damn thing all because of that human. Don't be foolish like him." His father knew what Keigo was attempting.

"Don't tell me what to do! I've had enough of it. I'm going to land whether you like it or not!" Atobe shouted in return.

The sharp stone dug into his palm until it broke the skin. Clouds of red drifted around his hand. The sharks would come now, but Atobe didn't care. Everyone could take care of themselves.

"I wish—"

"Don't do it!"

"I wish that I could walk on land as a human. I want to be one of them, Great Ocean, I wish I was a human." Keigo smirked smugly at his father. He just wished he had more time to say goodbye to the people he actually liked. He wanted to thank his grandmother, the former Seer, too who had told him this secret.

"Wait for me, Jiroh, aan?" Keigo chuckled softly and dropped the stone.

Soon…_Soon…

* * *

_

"Unya! No way! Jiroh! Jiroh! Nya, guys come here!" Kikumaru shouted eagerly from the top of the coconut tree.

The surviving members of the ship came out from their makeshift huts to see what the hyper look out was talking about. A cry of excitement overwhelmed them when they could make out the familiar face.

It was Jiroh and he seemed fine. There was someone else, but no one thought too much of him.

"Jiroh!" Eiji was the first to greet him. They were partners, after all. The Awesome Lookout Duo as they had once called themselves.

"Get him in a hut. Food and water, hurry!" Tezuka was the only one thinking clearly with the appearance of their missing lookout.

Some of the crew followed as ordered. They grabbed Jiroh and rushed him inside. He looked like he was in really bad shape.

"Tezuka," Fuji tugged on his sleeve.

"What is it?"

"Who's Jiroh?" Fuji asked curiously.

"One of our lookouts. He went missing, but he's back now. Looks sick though." Tezuka reported.

"He's not the only one back." Fuji said softly.

"What?"

"There's someone else." Fuji smiled slyly. "Saa, how about we go for a swim now?"

"Wait, Fuji, who? Where? How do you know?" Tezuka couldn't see anyone.

"Let's just call it a sixth sense." Fuji pulled on Tezuka's arm to urge him to go to the water. "I really miss the ocean."

Tezuka stared at the small group of men. For a moment he almost thought he saw someone new, but Fuji was getting impatient. Maybe there was someone, but he was having a hard time finding that person.

* * *

Inui treated the cut in the leg. He had to stitch it. He used a needle made from fishbone and thread from a dress he ripped up. The wound had caused an infection that gave Jiroh a fever. The boy would be fine though with good rest, water, and some of the citrus fruits they had discovered.

"Will he be alright?" Someone asked him.

"I calculate a low chance of death if we take good care of him." Inui looked up to see whom he was talking to since the voice sounded unfamiliar.

That was strange. He could see a person standing there, but couldn't make out his features. He was like a blur, but this didn't strike Inui as unusual. "I'll be leaving now." Inui said to whoever was in the room.

Atobe stared at Jiroh. He felt strange in clothes that had been thrown at him. He felt very strange. He had come as a stranger to this group, but no one even asked who he was. It was probably because of the wish he had made. It was a wish that brought along a curse.

Atobe would be cursed in the way that effected him the most. Never again would he be noticed. He would become like a shadow to these men. A voice in the wind, a faceless person, but he was glad. He was glad that Jiroh was well.

"Marui-kun?" Jiroh asked. His voice sounded a lot better after drinking the rest of the freshwater supply.

"No, idiot, not Marui. It's Atobe. Atobe!" Atobe felt frustrated with Jiroh. All this time he was being acknowledged as Marui.

"Atobe…That's a strange name." Jiroh murmured sleepily.

Atobe chose to ignore that statement. He sighed softly and laid down next to Jiroh. "Who is this Marui-kun anyway?"

"He's a great man. He's so cool!" Jiroh exclaimed.

"Hmph." Even after doing all this Jiroh didn't even bother to properly thank him. Had he really made the right choice?

"But!"

"But?" Atobe looked over to Jiroh.

"But, Atobe's the greatest man. He's the best." Jiroh wrapped his arms around Atobe's. "Sleep now."

Atobe smiled, he did make the right choice.

"My angel." Jiroh snuggled closer. He didn't care as much for Marui now. He had something more precious than that. He had the sole attention of the most important man in his life.

His angel. His savior.

* * *

**Kiyami: Yes! Done! This is probably one of the longer chapter. Atobe can be seen and heard, but no one will pay attention to him to clarify things. I thought I made it rather vague…**

**Next! SanaYuki because the idea in my head kept on distracting me throughout this chapter. I think the order will be SanaYuki, ToriShishi then Golden Pair!**

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please review?**


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